The following invention applies to a snare-switch mechanism for the snareband of a snare drum, whereby one end of the snareband is essentially attached to the drum, while the other end is attached to a snare-switch, allowing for movement between a tightened (snareband touching the bottom of the drum) or a loosened position of the snareband.
Such a mechanism is standard equipment on a snare drum. The snareband consists of many parallel rows of thin metal chains, which when tightened, produce a light rattling and hard metallic sound when the drumhead is hit. When the snareband is loosened, a much duller sound is made. Depending upon the desired timbrexe2x80x94either hard metallic or duller drum tonexe2x80x94the snare-switch which is normally mounted on the side of the drum is used to tighten or loosen the snareband on the bottom of the snare drum. Usually, a bar attached to a lever which has two stable end positions is switched up or down, allowing the changeable end of the snareband to either tighten or loosen against the drum bottom, depending upon the position of the snare-switch. The other end of the snareband is essentially attached, xe2x80x9cessentiallyxe2x80x9d meaning that the fixed end can also be adjusted, for example to be able to fine-tune the tension of the snareband. This adjusted position is however generally kept at its setting, as opposed to the snare-switch, which can be switched to its two positions during a musical piece to create either the hard metallic or duller drum tone on the snare drum, as desired.
Apart from the fine-tuning adjustment positions of the essentially-attached end of the snareband, which are only done occasionally, and cannot generally be changed quickly (for example during a musical piece), the musician or drummer only has the choice between two drum tones; hard metallic or dull, since the lever on the snareband has only two different and stable end positions.
Proceeding from this technical situation, this invention has been devised in order to produce a snare-switch which allows for producing a much broader spectrum of drum tones during a musical piece.
This problem has been solved by creating a pedal device attached to the snare-switch end which, through knee or thigh contact, can be gradually pressed with more or less strength, in order to utilize all the drum sounds between the usual two fixed settings.
Due to this device used to gradually position the snareband, it is now possible to produce a smooth transition between the hard metallic and dull drum sounds, because the snareband can be loosened gradually until it barely touches the bottom of the snare drum and finally is completely detached, and vice versa. In practical terms, this is done by attaching the loose end of the snareband to a swivel-mounted lever on an axle-shaft, the swivel axle of which is flush with the snareband and running perpendicular to its length, whereby the snareband, or rather its extension, passes through the swivel axle and pulls the lever to the stop when pressure is applied.
Hereby the end of the snareband or its extension does not have to be directly attached to the lever. The lever can be attached to a straight-moving sliding carriage, which can itself be attached to the snareband.
The inventive idea is applicable to all kinds and types of snare-switches, regardless of whether they are moved by a knee-pedal, a sliding carriage, cable tackles, any other moving device or a combination thereof.
When there is direct contact between the pedal and the snareband it is furthermore useful when the swivel axle radius of the lever runs through dead-center whether in a tightened or loosened position, whereby the knee-pedal through its knee or thigh contact can be held in any desired position.
More particularly the invention is a snare switch mechanism for a snareband of a snare drum. The mechanism includes a snare switch and an adjusting apparatus where one end of the snareband is attached to the drum and another end is attached to the snare switch. The mechanism thus is able to move the snareband between a tightened first position where the snareband is tight against a bottom of the drum and a second loosened position of the snareband where it is out of contact with the bottom of the drum. The snare switch is connected to the adjusting apparatus which is moveable by a knee or thigh of a musician to permit the snareband to be gradually adjusted between its tightened and loosened positions.